ltc

Speaking strictly as an engineer, I would guess they submitted their sample for SFI certification without the QR connectors. Clever bit of specmanship.

fatbillybob

I came late to yet another HANS thread...but here is one more datapoint. I have a full containment seat/drop down windownet/HANS/6pt harness/removeable wheel/plumbed fire system. I caught on fire going down a straight. It was electrical and not serious but I did not know that at the time. I got off the track and out of that thing ASAP smoke everywhere fumbs buring my eyes and making me cough. I forgot everything except... get out! I have a new respect for the SCCA single point release rule. I used to use ISAAC but swithed to the 800lb Gorilla HANS some years ago. The HANS hung me as I got out of the car. I somehow got my body out the window and hung for a few seconds by the HANS. Here are my conclusions.
1) if is had the ISAAC I would also get hung because I would not remember to unclip it and the harness and the steering wheel...my bad
2) a QR on the HANS still leaves the HANS pinched around my fat neck so it can still hang up
3) HANS will hang you no matter what because you just can't see all the crap that will hang up with restriced helmet vison and you have restricted hand feeling wearing gloves.
4) When you are hung up you just pull harder instead of thinking cool and finding what is hanging you up. I got lucky because my fire died as soon as I cut electic power and my HANS did finally let me go. It could have been much worse.

This is my real life story. I hope next time with some practice I can get away from my car clean. Problem is it is always easier when you practice. Things go to hell if you hit something, your door is jambed, you are injured, you are slipper from hitting your fire system button, Your HANS is hanging up.

We really need to find a better solution for HANS. The HANS QR is nothing more than "your" piece of mind so Hubbard does not have to listen to you bitch.. I do not believe HANS QR's offers anything of material value.

fatbillybob

I'm not an engineer ....single point release rule. Lets see.....HANS with QR and come off harness with or without HANS QR use. ISAAC must remove its two QR pins to come off harness. Ta-Da!

A930Rocket

Issac. Two hands, two QR pins, two seconds.

I'm not familiar with all the Issac QR mechs, but I have the type where I just pull on the lanyard attached to the QR and I'm out. One for each hand.

38D

I think the issue is you have to first undo the belts, and then undo the QR pins, making this a 2 step process. With a HANS, you can just undo the belts. If the HANS does get caught on something, you can always do the 2nd step of the QR.

I still don't get why Isaac does not come out with a combo H&N/belt system that uses two cable to auto disconnect the helmet pots. Doesn't seem that complex, and would be SFI compatible and would potentially allow them to make inroads into the pro ranks.

gbaker

There is too much motion during a severe crash. We are concerned they would become snagged on something and prematurely release.

There are electronic ways to do it, but we already have people complaining about $895 for a product that is probably good for 20 years.

fatbillybob

I disagree. Yes this works in practice to give you another escape. But in a tight cockpit perhaps injured or roof smashed in you have little room for escape. Additionally the HANS fits well around the neck so that you can only exit the open part of the "U" . Even if the straps are disconnected you can still be trapped. HANS really requires two motions to extract yourself from it 1) QR straps 2) slide "U" off your neck. That's why the recommended exit is with the device "on". Guys without QR straps are stuck with it. Yes you can slide it off the helmet mounts but not in a panic and not with your gloves on. With ISAAC you pull pins and you are out with nearly zero to hang up assuming you remember to do it when you panic. EVERYTHING works assuming everything stays on plan. If everything stayed on plan we would not need helmets and all the rest of the crap we have.